Let’s be clear: Shohei Ohtani’s starts are usually appointment viewing for baseball fans. His Wednesday outing against the Tampa Bay Rays? More like a horror flick with a happy ending.
The Dodgers ace walked off the mound with a 5-4 win, but he also left a trail of blood — and a few questions about his health. Ohtani allowed four earned runs in the fifth inning alone, all on seven hits across six frames. For a guy with a 1.47 ERA through 12 starts, that qualifies as a clunker. But the real story? That burst of blood came from a blister that tore open mid-game.
The Blister That Didn’t Stop Him
“Just part of the game,” Ohtani said postgame through interpreter Will Ireton, via Fredo Cervantes of The Sporting Tribune. “There’s not a lot of situations where you feel one hundred percent, so I just took it as that. It’s big that we were able to win a game like this.”
The blister, which ruptured in the fifth inning, forced Ohtani out an inning later. He still managed five strikeouts and just one walk, but the command that usually turns batters into statues was clearly compromised. Fans online noted the visible blood on his hand, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the blister as a factor.
A Win Built on a Single Swing
The saving grace came from Freddie Freeman, who launched a two-run home run in the sixth inning — immediately after Ohtani threw his final pitch. That blast flipped the score and gave the Dodgers a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
Ohtani’s final line: 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. He improved to 7-2 on the season, but this was not the dominant version of the two-way superstar the league has grown accustomed to seeing.
But this wasn’t just about a blister. Ohtani has also been managing a left knee issue, according to team sources. For Roberts, balancing the workload of a six-time All-Star who both pitches and hits is becoming a tighter rope to walk. The team has not confirmed any structural concerns, but the timing — with a long season ahead — raises questions about how the Dodgers will handle their MVP moving forward.
What This Means for the Dodgers’ Rotation
Los Angeles has the best record in the National League, and Ohtani remains its most valuable asset. But a blister and a cranky knee, even if minor, are the kind of nagging injuries that can derail a deep postseason run. The Dodgers front office has depth, but there’s no replacing Ohtani when he’s right.
For now, Ohtani’s attitude is simple: stick the win, don’t make excuses. But the next time he takes the mound, all eyes will be on that right hand.
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